The YAYA youth art organization will ceremonially break ground on a new $1.3 million art center at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday (Sept. 3) at 3322 LaSalle St. in Central City. The center, which is expected to be completed by June 2015, will include a woodworking shop, a print shop, a hot glass studio, a painting-craft studio, classrooms and gallery.

"We are truly excited to be bringing such a beautiful, high-quality facility to LaSalle Street," wrote YAYA consulting director Baty Landis in an email. "Our intention is that this project will both strengthen YAYA and our programs, and spur additional quality development along the entire LaSalle Street corridor."

Since its beginning in 1988, YAYA has gained broad recognition for providing instruction and mentorship to New Orleans young people who would otherwise have limited access to art education. YAYA's colorful furniture and other designs are widely collected, and YAYA artists have gone on to find careers in the visual arts. The organization says it has provided art instruction to almost 4,000 students.

YaYa was long located at 338 Baronne St. in the Central Business District. The organization is now headquartered at the YAYA Creative Glass studio at 3924 Conti St. in Mid-City.

YAYA Art Center courtyard

The future YAYA Arts Center is being built in cooperation with the Harmony Neighborhood affordable housing development.

YAYA officials report that the organization has so far raised $450,000 to build the art center, which was designed by Tulane University architecture professor Byron Mouton. The pile testing has begun on the future building's foundation and that construction will begin Oct. 1, Landis said.

YAYA fans also are invited to a glass-blowing demonstration immediately following the ground breaking ceremony, at the YAYA Creative Glass studio at 3924 Conti St. in Mid-City.